Animals enrich our lives in so many ways that deserve recognition, and National Horse Day, December 13th, is the day to celebrate everything we cherish about horses. Few animals share the horse's preeminence in our nation's history. In addition to contributing to our recreational pleasure, the horse plays a significant role in our nation's economic, agricultural, historical, and cultural history.

Did you know that horses also have a humanitarian role in our society? They provide invaluable assistance as therapy animals helping adults and children.

Why Horse Therapy?

It is widely acknowledged that domestic animals, such as dogs and cats, can significantly improve most peoples' life quality; however, horses can provide specific evidence-based therapeutic benefits for people suffering from physical, emotional, and cognitive impairments because they possess the following outstanding characteristics:

•       Sensitivity to their environment

•       Sensitivity to human emotions

•       Large size

•       Sweet disposition

•       Responsiveness

The relationship between horses and humans exemplifies the principle of cause and effect in a way that promotes healing.

Trauma Recovery

Post-traumatic stress disorder causes complicated physical, mental, and emotional symptoms for hyper-vigilant individuals. Horses are well-suited to help people with PTSD because of their immediate response to their environment, which mirrors individuals' feelings. For example, when a person's demeanor is relaxed, a horse is calm, but when a person becomes aggressive or anxious, a horse becomes agitated. Patients can practice putting aside their fears and inhibitions to elicit the horse's calm response. This approach differs from that of traditional talk therapy, which involves the contemplation of the original trauma.

Addiction Therapy

People with an addiction frequently have difficulty with self-expression and experience deep-rooted anxiety, which they may relieve through substance abuse. Horses sense these internal struggles and are usually uneasy in the individual's presence. Equine therapy sessions allow people with an addiction to devise and test techniques for gaining a horse's trust by guiding them through tasks such as walking and eating, and various exercises. Therapy participants learn to understand which strategies objectively gain the horse's confidence and which repel it. These individuals gain insights into how their actions and moods affect or sabotage their interpersonal relationships.

Cognitive Benefits

Horses' sweet dispositions and ability to provide immediate feedback make them suitable to assist individuals with autism, dementia, and other cognitive impairments. For example, sitting on horses helps autistic patients understand how their bodies relate to their physical surroundings. Non-verbal patients learn communication skills, and some even use spoken language for the immediate communication necessary for exercises involving horses.

Dementia patients who participate in equine therapy receive similar benefits and experience self-worth and a sense of purpose by grooming, feeding, petting, and walking horses. Engaging with a non-judgmental horse helps them to feel less isolated and experience the physical benefits of moving their bodies when performing tasks with these large animals.

Physical and Occupational Therapy

Equine physical therapy is not about teaching patients to ride; it helps develop coordination and muscle strength. For example, sitting on a moving horse increases core, leg, and hip strength. It helps restore the ability to walk compromised by injury or certain health conditions by encouraging essential hip movements. Patients with a sensory processing disorder, developmental delays, nerve damage, and other challenges receive therapeutic sensory input while sitting on horses.

Horse therapy proves that the relationship between animals and people is mutually beneficial. Contact a veterinarian at Pet Hospitals of Hawaii to learn how wellness and training can enhance the bond between you and the pets in your life.